- Greg Smith, an executive at Goldman Sachs, resigns in an inflammatory NYTimes Op/Ed. Forbes’ Nathan Vardi counters, “If what Smith is saying today is true, then the biggest problem remains the ‘muppets.’ Not Kermit or Gonzo, but the investors that Smith claims continue to buy garbage from Goldman. Until those clients start to take responsibility for themselves, Goldman will remain incentivized to sell stuff to them.” Andy Borowitz writes an amusing satirical response to the op/ed.

And yet the experience of watching Monta has always transcended his status as an expendable star. Warriors fans have become well-acquainted with Ellis’s capacity for momentary greatness—a crossover to get an open jumper, an athletic lay-up in traffic, a quick burst to jump a passing lane and start a fast break. There are few players in the league that combine ingenuity and athleticism as well as Ellis. It’s no surprise that he’s become a favorite among League Pass devotees—watching him do something amazing in a meaningless January game is like discovering an underground sensation, or uncovering a great movie that critics have dismissed.

- Salon’s Laurie Penny writes about The Sugar Daddy Recession, detailing the relationships between women living and sleeping with (creepy) older men in exchange for having their lifestyles sponsored. (Via Andrew Sullivan) Passage:

In the loneliest corner of the internet, a man named Rian is offering a “monthly allowance” for a “sweet and caring [girl] who appreciates all I do for her.” He’s in his 30s, works in IT and earns good money — so how about $1,000 dollars a month if the sex works out?

He’s not looking for a “professional.” Liam wants to pay for “cuddles” and “fun” from a “hard-up” student. Call it what you like — an arrangement, a delicate excuse for sex work or modern love at its most upfront — there are hundreds of thousands of men all over the world looking for it, and as the job market explodes, more and more women are desperate enough to take them up on it. The women call themselves sugar babies; men like Rian are known as sugar daddies.